This invention relates to environmentally resistant fabrication materials, and more particularly, to a barrier coat layer and core material to be used in combination with other manufactured materials to provide an environmentally resistant structure which can be used in place of wood surfaces.
Wood has long been used as a material for structures used in intense environmental conditions. Wood is used for structures such as decks, boat hulls, docks and the like. These structures face a wide variety of environmental conditions such as water, heat, sun and humidity. These conditions can cause the wood to suffer damage such as blistering, weakening, warping, deforming and rotting. This damage is highly undesirable and can cause disastrous results in structures such as boat hulls.
Various methods have been used to prevent damage to wood subjected to environmental conditions. These methods usually employ stains, marine varnishes and other protective coatings that are physically applied to the wood surface to attempt to protect the wood. These methods require repeated maintenance and monitoring and even then often fail. Additionally, they require a large amount of costly manual labor.
Some methods and systems have avoided the problems of wood being exposed to environmental conditions by building structures, such as boat hulls, out of other materials, such as fiberglass or aluminum, instead of wood. One such method is U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,049, Hordis et al, where a boat hull is protected against blistering on the underwater surface by using successive layers of fiber reinforced synthetic plastic and having an outer gelcoat layer and a barrier coat material of microspheres thoroughly mixed in a synthetic resin. Another method and system is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,145, Hordis, which teaches inserting a core of syntactic foam between an inner transom wall and an outer transom wall.
Another method of avoiding problems of wood being exposed to environmental conditions is seen in fabricating high strength boat transoms. Many transoms are fabricated using marine or exterior grade plywood with layers of fiberglass and resin on each face. However, after a short time, small leaks develop in the plastic skin and fastener holes. This causes water to be soaked up by the plywood core which in turn causes the plywood to suffer damage. U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,788, Unger, describes a method of doing so and attempts to avoid leaks by applying an outer skin to the wood while the transom is still in the hull mold. However, Unger requires the use of molds and forms which can make it difficult in application.
Another method and system is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,172, Wolter, which discloses forming a boat deck surface comprising at least two layers. One layer contains a slow hardening elastic resin and a solid particulate and another layer contains a slow hardening elastic resin, a solid particulate and a coloring agent. Wolter is generally used for repairing boat decks. Wolter uses a flowable epoxy and requires forming a first layer, curing, then forming a second layer and curing.
Other methods attempt to reinforce plywood or wood. However, the inherent weakness of wood in resisting flexibility and resisting environmental exposure remains causing the results of these methods to be less than desirable.
What is needed is a method and system for replacing wood surfaces with a non-wood surface that is highly resistant to environmental conditions and easy to fabricate and apply.
This need is met by the present invention by providing an easily applied coating or surface that is highly resistant to environmental conditions.
A method of replacing a wood surface with a wood replacement surface according to one embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. A wood surface is removed from a structure. A wood replacement composition is sprayed or poured on the surface of the structure. The wood replacement composition is catalyzed forming the wood replacement surface. The wood replacement surface is resistant to environmental conditions.
Also disclosed is a composition and a method of fabricating a sprayable, pourable composition which can be used to produce articles and surfaces where wood or particle board might otherwise be used. One or more resins are provided. A monomer is provided. A thickening agent such as clay is provided. The provided materials are mixed. Fumed silica (optional) and one or more accelerators are provided. The provided materials are mixed. Hollow spheres and other fillers are then provided. The provided materials are mixed forming the composition.
A boat hull according to another embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. The boat hull includes at least one laminated fiber layer and a wood replacement layer. The at least one laminated fiber layer has an outer surface, which includes a gel coat. The wood replacement layer is formed from mixing resin, a monomer, thickening agent, accelerators, hollow spheres and other fillers. The wood replacement layer is formed interiorly of the gel coat layer.